Police dog awarded ultimate honour

A police dog from New Zealand who was killed whilst protecting his handler has been awarded the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) Gold Medal.

On July 13, 2010, Senior Constable Bruce Lamb and his five-year-old German shepherd, Gage, went to carry out what they thought would be a routine drugs search at a house in Christchurch, Dorset. Sadly Constable Lamb was shot in the face by one of the suspects. When they aimed to shoot again, Gage leapt into the path of the bullet.

Constable Lamb and Gage managed to exit the house whilst the suspect continued to shoot at other officers. Once outside Lamb realised the severity of the situation. “I looked down to find Gage lying motionless in the middle of the street, at that moment I realised that the bullet fired, which was meant for me, had in fact killed my faithful companion.”

The PDSA Gold Medal is only awarded for the most extreme acts of courage and dedication. The award, widely recognised as the animals’ George Cross, is only given to those that are influential in saving human or animal life when its own life is in jeopardy or through outstanding devotion to duty.